Planner seeks public input on new park

Two workshops are scheduled to gather input from Lansing residents interested in the planning features of the city's newest park.

Officials with Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co., the firm hired to complete a master plan for the new park, will conduct a daylong workshop today, July 15, to "identify elements that will be incorporated into the Lansing Community Park master plan. On Saturday, July 16, the day will be devoted to what will go into a community aquatics center.

Both workshops are set for City Hall, 800 First Terrace.

The session today will feature forums from 8:15 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in which residents will be able to walk in and discuss their ideas for the new park, which will be built on 128 acres west of the city on 4-H Road.

In May, the Lansing City Council awarded a $50,000 contract to Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co., based in North Kansas City, Mo., to develop a master plan for the park. The plan is due in September, and the community workshops are part of a series of actions Bruce is undertaking to complete the plan.

Here's the schedule for today's session:

8 a.m.: Introduction

8:05 a.m.: Review of design process

8:15-noon: Walk-in open public forum

9 a.m.-9:45 a.m.: Parks and Recreation focus session

10 a.m.-10:45 a.m.: City administration focus session

11 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Soccer focus session

Noon: Lunch

1 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Walk-in open public forum

1 p.m.-1:45 p.m.: Softball focus session

2 p.m.-2:30 pm.: Baseball focus session

2:30 p.m.-3 p.m.: Cheerleading focus session

3:30 p.m.-4 p.m.: Football focus session

4 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Basketball focus session

5 p.m.: Wrap up

The Saturday session, devoted to an aquatics center, has this schedule: